


A Ladybug like no other

by orphan_account



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Mystery, kuudere!Marinette, more_tags_will_spoil_this_thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-27 16:24:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16222856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: During Adrien's first day at school, he and 2 of his new friends seem to note that one of their classmates has gone awfully silent and distant. They begin to investigate the reasons, and they get drawn into a mystery.





	1. A Ladybug like no other

**Author's Note:**

  * For [writer_slk](https://archiveofourown.org/users/writer_slk/gifts).



Adrien woke up from a dream, a bit shocked and yet extremely relieved that it was just a nightmare. that's not how he planned his first day at school. he wanted to get a good night sleep for such a fresh start. It was then he noticed there was something odd about his room, though he couldn't tell what. as if his privacy was invaded somehow. and yet, everything was perfectly in place.

except... except for a small, neatly folded note next to his bed. on the note, a message was written: "Do not let your claws out".

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Adrien thought to himself. "Who left this?"

An oddball fan prank wasn't an unheard of thing, but this one was way out of line. burglary? how on earth would they manage that, without triggering a myriad of alarms?

He quickly finished his breakfast and they went out of the Agreste mansion. but just as he embarked out of the gate, a gigantic red graffiti was sprayed on the opposing wall. it, too, said "Do not let your claws out".

"What the hell?"

"Are you bothered by something?" Nathalie asked.

"It's... nothing. Don't worry."

As he entered the car, he found another note... same thing. in his CAR! what the hell was going on?

—

Alya walked into class and took a seat, just when a blue-eyed black-haired girl came to her and grabbed her arm. not forcefully but not without force either. "Wait, why are you grabbing me?". The girl didn't answer, though she did make Alya take the seat next to her.

Alya took a moment to examine her new table-mate. She looked... distant. very distant. There was also something sad in her eyes. Alya couldn't really tell why, but that look sent a bit of a chill down her spine. even though she felt no malice from her.

... which you couldn't say about the one that came to them next. Chloe.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng, what are you doing in..." but then she stopped. Marinette gave Chloe a slightly menacing stare without uttering a word.

"What happened to YOU over summer vacation?" Chloe said mockingly. Marinette continued her stare and it looked like Chloe was taken aback, losing her self-assurance and starting to fear the girl.

"Leave." Marinette said, as if commanding.

Chloe grunted, but Marinette's unexpected resolve and the fact she was nothing like Chloe remembered her, forced her to be more careful. "I'll leave it be for now." she told herself. "I'll find a way to get to her. she will pay for this." and she contended herself with that thought.

"Wow, that was awesome!" Alya said, "You stood up to her bullying! Good job, umm... marinette. that's the name, right?"

Marinette just nodded and returned to her distant look.

"You're... are you ok?"

Marinette looked at her, seemed as if she was thinking for a moment, then nodded and again looked away.

"You're not very talkative, are you?"

There was no response.

The boy from the bench below them came over to check up on them. Alya learned his name was Nino.

"Marinette... are you alright? you don't seem like yourself right now."

"Hey Nino, you friends with ms ice queen?" Chloe called mockingly from the side. "Might want to make a small cut, see that she has blood instead of ice in her veins." Sabrina laughed as if someone just told the most wonderful joke ever.

"Shut up, Chloe" Nino and Alya said in unison. That was the moment when Adrien entered class, and immediately afterwards Madam Bustier, their teacher.

"Everybody, take your seats please."

Marinette rises up, hands Madam bustier a note, then quietly goes to sit again. Madam bustier reads it for a moment, and then nods towards Marinette. "No problem."

The rest of class is rather uneventful, aside from an argument Ivan had with Kim, which caused him to be sent to the principal's office. Soon enough though he got back and sat in class, reprimanded. Nino and Adrien used the opportunity to exchange notes introducing each others and they set up to talk on recess.

recess couldn't come a moment too soon. Alya, Nino and Adrien met up to gossip.

"Marinette is awfully weird today. Can't say what she did with Chloe wasn't awesome, but she's just... so unlike herself!"

"What's she usually like?" Adrien asked.

"Dunno dude... happy? full of life? it's as if she's the exact opposite of it."

"Aha! I love a good mystery!" Alya proclaimed. "We'll get down to the bottom of this. Investigative journalism is my life! I've already applied for the school newspaper and blog!"

"I'm sure there's a reasonably simple explanation to all of that. maybe she's just not feeling well or something." Adrien commented. "But you're right, she's our classmate and we should try to help her. something is obviously on her mind. Let's just try asking her parents first, say we're classmates, ok?"

School was done for the day and Adrien asked Nathalie to go get some freshly baked pastries with classmates.

"Don't delay, Adrien. this much is fine though."

Adrien just met his friends from school and waved at them. They were planning what to say, when suddenly there was an emergency newscast on the billboard.

"It appears that Paris is under the attack of a supervillain, an awakened pharaoh is thrashing the Egyptian expose."

"What? I'm SO there. Where there's a supervillain, there must be a superhero too!" Alya exclaimed with overbearing excitement.

"Wait, Alya! calm down!" Nino tries to stop her. "You don't know what-"

That was the exact moment when Adrien heared an odd metallic screech sound and saw magic runes on the ground. before he could utter a word, the entire world froze in deep crimson haze. All human beings within the haze looked matte grey and frozen to boot. time stopped for everyone, but him.

"You're kidding me... What... What is going on? What is this?"

And then, he saw her. Flying above him, jumping from one rooftop to another... and landing right next to him.

"Ladybug" She introduces herself in a somber, almost passionless tone. "And that's Tikki" she motions towards her tiny red companion. Adrien gets a quick glance at Tikki. she looks a bit like a miniature red mouse, with a black dot at her forehead. She's just as grim as the ladybug herself. "Now, hold on to me. I'll explain later."

Adrien seems hesitant, but he realizes he's in no position to argue with a superhero. as he does, she binds them together with what appears to be a yoyo. she opens a pair of wings and jumps high in the air.

They land next to the louver, where there obviously has been movement. a very angry live pharaoh has just left the compound and is looking at them.

"With this seal there is no one to sacrifice... but you!" he growls threatening.

Ladybug doesn't seem to be the least impressed or with any need to retort.

"Joss-13" Ladybug said.

"Joss at 13" Tikki replied. Adrien took note just how... mechanized... this exchange sounded. like a robot talking to another robot.

"Precog"

"Precog On"

"Sekhmet, give me strength!" the pharaoh cries as he lunges towards her and Adrien, but all he can get at is Ladybug's foot kicking him straight in the head and throwing him dozens of meters away. It seems like Sekhmet's strength is no match for the Ladybug.

"The Akuma is in his pendant. clear for shooting." Tikki says.

Ladybug throws her yoyo up in the air, though not as a yoyo. rather, she tosses it in the air like it's a stone.

"Lucky shoot" She says in that same monotone.

as soon as the yoyo falls down and touches her hand, a spark of lightning engulfs the touch point and the yoyo shoots forward, leaving a noticeable ionization trace in its path. it hits the pharaoh's pendent and somehow, (one could call it sheer luck) only the pendant alone. The pharaoh detransforms into a person, who is now also frozen. Ladybug snaps her fingers and the Yoyo appears back in her hands. she opens it up and a white butterfly leaves it.

Ladybug pauses as if she's planning on saying something, but in the end she says nothing. she then turns to Adrien.

"I will need you to be able to fight, Mr. Agreste," she says. "Make yourself available whenever a seal is around."

"But... wait!"

"And you must never, never ever discuss my existence."

"But..."

"Those weren't requests."

"Listen... can't you explain a few more things?"

Ladybug mulls it for a moment, then responds with a terse answer: "No."

"Let's get you back to the park" she says.

During the flight back, he tries to gather as much information as he can about Ladybug and her fairy companion and studies them with his eyes. if he had to take a guess, she's somewhat shorter than him. she has a petite figure and deep blue eyes behind her mask.

Ladybug lays him where she picked him off and jumps away. In a moment, a storm of ladybugs erupts and makes its way towards the louver.

a minute or two later and the haze was gone, just like that. as if someone just pressed 'play' on a remote control and everything resumed.

"It appears that the supervillain just... disappeared?" Nadja Chamack's report cried from the billboard. "We'll keep you posted as police examines the scene.". they switch to reruns showing the pharaoh making its way through the louver, but then, all of a sudden, it just disappears from the security camera footage. as if he was never there.

"Adrien... are you ok? snap out of it dude!" Nino said. Adrien suddenly realized Alya and Nino were looking at him.

"Didn't you... did you see none of that? the crimson haze?" he pleaded.

Alya and Nino exchanged puzzled looks. "What... are you talking about?"

"Oh right, they were frozen in time." Adrien thought. "and the ladybug asked that I never mention her... actually, she didn't ask. she commanded."

"I'll believe anything today, Adrien" Alya says. "But tomorrow I might not" she adds with a wink.

"Fine, i'll tell you later, let's head off to that bakery for now, I think I really need something to eat and drink."

—

"We've been blessed with a very jovial child" Sabine told the inquiring kids. "look at how she smiles" she says as she shows them a picture of Marinette. yes, indeed it's their daughter. but THAT one is smiling and hanging around with her parents and sticking her tongue out, whereas the one they saw in class seemed incapable of showing any emotion.

"When is your last picture of Marinette from?" Alya asks. "it's from yesterday." that's where Sabine starts to get more concerned. "Why, did anything happen in class?". Alya and Nino and Adrien exchange quick looks between them. "Oh no there's nothing to worry about ms. Dupain-Cheng, I'm sure Marinette was just stressed out about her first day at school."

"Now that you've mentioned that, she was a bit off this morning. please take good care of her at school." Alya asks Sabine to whatsapp her the image and she does so. She then bids them farewell as she tends to the store customers.

"What a kind lady." Alya comments and Adrien nods in agreement. "Marinette doesn't look like one that's going to have family angst or something." he says, wincing a little as he thinks of his own family.

"So, we need to investigate further." Adrien says, and they all nod in agreement.

—

That wasn't how Master Fu imagined it. Wayzz woke him up, reporting up two mutual activations. one by Nooroo and the other by...

"Wayzz, why did you pause?"

"... Tikki." Wayzz completed his sentence, concerned about how Master Fu may react.

That wasn't the name he expected to hear. he opened up the jewel box and his felt his heart sinking as the ladybug miraculous indeed was missing.

"Also, master... I think she's... suffering."

Bad news piling up on more bad news, he thought to himself. he took a moment to compose himself back and turned back to Wayzz.

"We know not who stole the miraculous, why and how. we can assume Tikki isn't pleased with her new owner, too. Our only hope therefore is that the two will oppose each other, as no one but Tikki can purify an akuma. In the meanwhile, I'd like to get some eyes on the ground and deploy our own forces. I will choose You and Trixx for this and I will guard Plagg personally.

He went over the security cameras again and again. there was nothing! how could it be? this was no ordinary thief. this wasn't boding well. perhaps scouting for miraculous holders would fare better.

he went about in town and planned to take a rest on one of the benches, when a bunch of teenagers caught his eye. As the newscast went, he saw the gleam in her eyes. Yes, she was the journalist spirit he was looking for, and her friend would make for a fine bodyguard.

But then news of the akumatized victim broke out, and not too long afterward the seal appeared. No stranger to magic, Master Fu was still startled due to the entirely unfamiliar nature of this one. this was not a Kwami capability he had ever heard of. and since Nooroo was already employed akumatizing someone, this had to be the work of someone else...

as much as he wanted to look, he figured he should be hiding somewhere safe. after a while he went to check the scene back. everyone was still frozen, though one of the kids was missing. he used the cover of the spell to sneak the boxes where he wanted to, and slipped away. next time he'll have better eyes on ground.

—

Back at home, Nino and Alya both unpack their stuff, when they notice a strange box. "What's this doing here?" they ask, both at their respective homes and yet somehow in perfect unison. both open up each of their boxes, and are blinded by a flash.

"No way... a... flying miniature fox?" Alya rubbed her eyes and rubbed them again.

"I'm Trixx! I'm the Fox Kwami! So pleased to meet you!"

"Wait, are you going to grant me superpowers? are you the one that handled the supervillain? this is SO going to be blogged"

"wait! no! no one must know I exist."

"Right" Alya smacks her forehead. "What was I thinking. it got the better of me."

"Actually... that's one of the reasons you were chosen. things are a bit more complicated than that today..." Trixx fidgets his digits and goes on explaining.

"We need someone with the best journalistic instincts. It appears that fights are now conducted under a seal, so only you will be able to take pictures or videos of the event. Once you have the material, we'll watch it and the guardian will tell us how to progress."

"A super-journalistic task. This is the happiest day of my life!"

"If you ever find yourself bathed in a crimson haze, you must transform immediately and locate the superhero and supervillain fighting. if they will need your help, you can help, but remember your primary task. you will also be assigned with a bodyguard... he should be getting his Kwami now. just so you know he's not your target."

—-

"Wow, dude! you're... you're..."

"I'm Wayzz and I'm a Kwami. I grant superpowers. we need you, Nino."

"You do? Awe-some!"

"Yes, you're part of the team now. Your first assignment is a bodyguard one, to yet another superhero. she should be receiving her Kwami as we speak."

"Dude! You sure no kicking some supervillain senseless?"

"Actually, we have a bit of a situation... There's a ladybug whose intensions are unknown. I would much rather you be careful. The ladybug is one of the stronger Kwamis out there."

"If you ever find yourself bathed in a crimson haze, you must transform immediately and locate your designated partner, the holder of the fox miraculous. help the other superhero as needed. and remember, not a word to anyone!"

"You got it!"


	2. What have you done?

The next morning, Adrien informed his friends of his plan.

"Whatever that girl is going through... we'll give her the best good time we can."

"Are you sure that's a good idea? she'll just refuse." Nino asked.

"I think that's a great plan!" Alya says. "Let Paris work its charms!"

"And I have a hidden ace down my sleeve for that." Adrien winks at them both.

and with that resolve, Adrien dragged them all towards Marinette.

"Hey, Marinette, listen... I have a photoshoot today, we thought about going to the zoo afterwards to see the new black panther... would you like to join us?"

Marinette looks at him expressionless. but... was that a tiny smile there?

"Yes" she replies. it's not a thrilled one or even a happy one, but it's more than enough for Adrien. "Great! We'll gather here after school."

Sure enough, Marinette appeared in time. "Still that expressionless face" Adrien thought, "Let's see if she can keep that up by end of the day!"

Adrien's mind was racing about what he was going to do, but he still went through the photoshoot with ease.

"so everyone, are we ready to go to the zoo?"

Adrien picked up Marinette's hand and dragged her towards the cages. She appeared to study the black panther with intent. She then motioned to him that she wanted to sit on a bench, and they all did. Marinette still stared at the air, but...

"Is that a tear?" Adrien asked, but immediately retracted it. "Sorry, I didn't mean to..."

Indeed it was. Marinette wasn't upset. but she wasn't responding to that much either.

What could be so special about a bench?

"I'm thirsty, I'm gonna get one of those fruit smoothies. do you want one?" Adrien asked Marinette, but there is no acknowledgment. Adrien sighs.

As soon as Adrien's back, Marinette starts walking off to the rodent display, and all were quick to follow.

"So, you like hamsters, don't you?" Adrien said as he found her petting one at the petting corner. "Do you have one at home?"

That sad look in her eyes... was it something he had done? probably not, she's like that all the time.

"I'll take that as a no, I guess..."

She looks at him as if she wants to say something.

"Hmm?"

No, it was nothing. still near-mute.

"Hey, how about some Ice cream? I know a very good place around. It's called Andre's ice cream."

"So that's what you were planning, eh! sneaky!" Alya gives Adrien a gentle elbowing. "But isn't it too early for me to share one with Nino?" she flusters just a tad.

"Oh, don't worry, it's not like you two are going to eat a scoop and find yourself married" he laughs.

"You taunt!" she laughs with him.

—

"Ah, welcome to Andre's!" they all stop and watch the act Andre is putting for the tourists. "The best ice cream in Paris, the ice cream of love."

"Coconut, Banana and a touch of passion fruit!" He hands one to Alya and Nino who are suddenly all giggly.

"And what have we here..." he turns on to Marinette and Adrien. Adrien seems to be enjoying himself, but then he looks at Marinette and in her eyes he sees... fear?

"Someone could use a cherry cheer... let's see. Andre's ice cream has always melted hearts. Peach Pink like his lips and..."

"No!" Marinette yells and violently shakes her head as if trying to get rid of something.

"What's the matter? are you alright?" Adrien is startled by her response.

Marinette runs away and Adrien is trying to catch on to her, but she's gone almost in an instant.

"How... how could that have gone so wrong? Let's split and look for her!"

Andre himself couldn't have felt any worse than now. "The look on that girl's face... how could my ice cream have caused such a thing?"

It wasn't long before he found himself akumatized.

—

It took ladybug about 10 seconds to land next to Adrien.

"Tikki, Seal" Ladybug issued the command and a magical rune circle started expanding from Tikki until it covered most of Paris, freezing it within the same crimson haze.

"So you're the one doing the sealing!" Adrien said, to which ladybug said nothing.

Not too far Rena Rouge and Carapace already transformed and were now on the watch.

Ladybug placed Adrien in a safe spot nearby and started to engage the Glaciator.

"Joss-13" Ladybug says.

"I've heard this one before", Adrien thinks. "It must be part of her standard routine."

"Joss at 13" Tikki replied.

"Precog"

"Precog On"

"Deflector"

"Deflector Up"

"Battle formation"

Tikki positions herself in front of Ladybug. It looks like she's surrounded by a forcefield, since Glaciator's hail of ice scoops bounce off before even reaching her or ladybug.

"Lucky shot?" Ladybug asks.

"Negative/Joss" Tikki responds.

Ladybug seems to consider her next move. All the while, Glaciator tries to rain down scoops from the sky, but they are all dodged easily by Ladybug as if she doesn't even have to think this one through. she just hops between them almost walking normally.

"Amazing. she doesn't even flinch."

Ladybug's expression changes very little as she finally picks her ability of choice.

"Tikki, CLS-1"

A thousand yoyos appear behind them, floating in the air.

"Target locked" Tikki responds.

"Strike."

A barrage of thousand yoyos is not something the Glaciator can avoid, unfortunately for him. The blunt hits knock him out and break his scoop. He transforms back to Andre and is frozen in the red haze. Ladybug snaps her fingers and all the yoyos disappear, except for one that reappears in her hands. she opens that one up and a white butterfly emerges.

Then, however, a large face made of black butterflies seems to gather at the sky. Adrien shudders, not knowing what to expect. Ladybug, however, seems unphased even the least bit. as if she expected something like this to happen.

"Evening, strong one. It seems my Akumas are no match for you, even without Chat Noir by your side."

Ladybug seems to pause for a moment, thinking of an appropriate answer.

"Correct."

"I WILL take your miraculous! I WILL win this one!" the face rages.

"Remove nuisance" Tikki suddenly says.

"You will stop sending Akumas." Ladybug calls.

"WHAT?" the face replies "Are you crazy?"

Adrien watches ladybug with intent. Did he see a hint of a smirk there?

well if he did, it must have lasted a split second. Ladybug is back to her somber posture. She barely even acknowledges her arch enemy?

"That is... awesome. crazy awesome!" Adrien thinks. Just as he finds himself picked up and hurled forwards.

"Adrien, say 'Hi' to Hawk Moth."

"Hi..." Adrien waves, unsure as to the sudden attention he's getting and more than a bit concerned about having been thrown at superhero affairs. "I'm not sure what good can come out of that." he thinks to himself.

"You will stop sending akumas." Ladybug calls again.

The face dispersed. A storm of ladybugs erupted, fixing any collateral damage.

—

Rena Rouge and Carapace headed back to Master Fu's place with the footage.

"Now, let's watch." Master Fu said. "I have Plagg here with me, we better have a Kwami looking at it too. We're particularly interested in her lucky charm ability."

Rena Rouge's face falls down. "I'm afraid I didn't catch such a thing... better luck next time scooping this one up."

"Don't worry. Guess that's alright." Master Fu said. "TV has never been as exciting as this. The seal technique is odd enough as is..."

But no sooner than pressing play, Master Fu's jaw drops in astonishment, and he presses pause.

Rena Rouge and Carapace look at him, puzzled.

"Well, Is it a scoop?" Rena asks, half jokingly half wishfully.

"The mere fact that she's fighting with Tikki by her side is astonishing enough. That's... not supposed to happen."

"Can you zoom in on Tikki for a moment?"

Rena clicks her phone and they zoom in on the Kwami.

"She looks... sad. Is she being manipulated against her will?" Carapace asks.

"Probably." Plagg says. "I can't gather feelings from a video, though. I'll have to get close to her"

"That is so cruel!" Rena Rouge protests. "We have to save her somehow!"

"Let's see how this ladybug fights, before we decide on confronting her."

They let the movie play further.

"she wields complex spells with surprising ease. how on earth could anyone who has gotten their miraculous yesterday, do this? it's entirely and totally inconceivable!". Master Fu grabs his head in frustration. Never has he felt knowing so little about the topic he was presumably the best-informed on earth about. He looks at Plagg but the Kwami shrugs and lowers his head.

"She fights nothing like I would expect from a Ladybug. Ladybugs usually fight with grace and intuition and totally different signature moves. this one fights with sheer blunt power of levels I've never observed."

Rena Rouge smirks. "I guess I have lots more work to do, I'd be happy for this to be kind of a retainer."

"Wait! pause that frame! Who is that boy over there? magnify!"

Carapace and Rena Rouge both gasp. "It's Adrien!"

"Do you know him?" Master Fu asked. He already knew the answer to that question though, as he saw them together in the park.

"Yeah..." they both said in unison, and they looked at each other.

"so much for identity secrecy..." Master Fu sighed. "Oh well, I have so much else to worry about nowadays than this..."

"A ladybug like no other... Is she a ladybug at all?" Master Fu muses, as if to himself.

"You must bring Adrien over here!" he said, and the two nodded.

—

Adrien was sitting in his room, trying to get some good rest after the day. Will he ever get a normal one soon enough?

"That was an unmitigated disaster. I ruined the day for everyone. Poor Marinette... I don't even know what I did wrong!"

And at that moment, two superheroes land in his room - one looks like a Fox-lady and the other looks like a Tortoise.

"Rena Rouge, mistress of illusion" Rena presents herself. "I'm Carapace, master of defense" carapace follows.

"I thought I've seen it all for the day... sorry for not being too surprised... though it is the first time I see ones out of the seal."

"Yeah well about that..." Rena Rouge says a bit nervously. "We were actually hoping you have answers for us. We'd like to take you to see someone if that's okay with you."

"I'm not really in a position to say no to two superheroes, am I?" Adrien says. "At least you're more polite about it, that's something. that Ladybug... is she a friend of yours?"

"That's what we're trying to find out, actually. Is she a friend of yours?" Carapace says.

"I'm... well, she said she needs me to fight. I don't think that counts as friendship."

Rena Rouge and Carapace are obviously not thrilled to hear this. "We're getting more questions than real answers."

"Where are your Kwamis, by the way?" Adrien asks.

Rena Rouge bites her lip. "That's just one more mystery around this Ladybug..."

Adrien sighs as he hangs on to Carapace's shell, and they all hop to Master Fu's house.

—-

At Master Fu's home, Adrien recants his version of the two battles to everyone around: Rena, Carapace, Master Fu and Plagg.

"Well, the description of the first fight which we didn't witness matches our prediction."

Rena Rouge interjects "But how can he move inside the seal when everyone else can't?"

Everyone is silent. How didn't anyone pick up on that before?

Plagg breaks the silence. "I can feel the answer to this one." he says. he digs into Adrien's bag and pulls out a tiny ladybug themed brooch. it's obviously magical in origin. "This item is empowered to give him this ability."

"I have no idea what's that doing there and how it got there. Seriously."

"I believe you, young man. but unfortunately this brings out even more questions and I'm losing count."

Master Fu stops for a moment and meditates with his eyes closed.

"It helps him think" Plagg whispers to them. "I'm sure he'll solve this."

they wait something like 2-3 minutes in total silence.

"I think I have finally devised a theory which is consistent." Master Fu says as he opens his eyes and stops his meditation. Rena Rouge, Carapace and Adrien look at him, eager for him to continue.

"The ladybug we're looking at seemingly cannot transform with Tikki. I would guess it's because she's not human at all. She's a simulacrum."

"A simu-what?" they all ask in unison.

"Simulacra are humanoid clones grown with the help of magic. They are typically created with a specific task in mind. this would explain how different this ladybug is to the real thing. Whoever made the simulacra, is probably behind the theft of the miraculous."

"We need to find out who did it, why they did it and how to undo it and the only lead we have is the ladybug herself. I will contact you as soon as I have any idea. stay alert."

They're about to leave, but Adrien still has a burning question.

"Master Fu, can I ask you a question? it's about a friend of mine from class, named Marinette. It might be unrelated, but maybe you'd have an idea." Adrien says.

"Come on now Adrien, Why would someone from your class be relevant?" Rena Rouge asked. But master fu signaled her to remain calm.

"Describe this Marinette to me, please."

"She's cold and distant... she barely says a word. looks a bit sad, too. I tried to cheer her up today but without much success."

"Interesting. that's not a personality kind that matches any miraculous holder."

"Dead end then?" Adrien asked, feeling let down.

"Was she always this way?" Rena Rouge asked. She knew the answer to this question of course, but she had to suggest it this way as not to reveal her involvement.

"No!" Adrien's suddenly re-energized with hope. "A mere few days ago, she looked like a happy person. a very different person. I mean, I've only seen a picture, but I can say she was something else entirely."

Master Fu seemed to sink into a deep thinking. this kind of personality could be one that Tikki would go with. He already found two suitable miraculous holders in the same class. he had to test something though.

"Plagg, what do you think of Adrien?"

"What have we here?" he spins around him. "I'm Plagg. the cat Kwami. got anything to eat?

"Plagg, focus! what do you think?"

"What, as a chosen one?"

Master Fu smiles. "I wanted to test a hypothesis, but you seem to affirm it." just as quickly though, his smile fades and he turns a lot more serious.

"In order to create a simulacrum capable of fulfilling the role of a Ladybug, one would have to find an authentic suitable Ladybug miraculous holder."

"What... are you getting at?" Rena Rouge trembles as she begins to realize what's going on.

"it appears that the miraculous is the not the only thing they had to steal."

Rena Rouge's sharp mind already got the facts, but her heart can't accept them just yet.

"Your friend must have been a victim of the process. She was destined to be Ladybug." Master Fu's answer confirmed what she feared.

"Such further cruelty!" Rena Rouge cries with rage. "We cannot allow that to go unanswered!"

"We have to save her!" Carapace followed

"Then go and challenge that Ladybug. can you? you cannot. she is way too strong even if you all joined your forces together." Master Fu said and Rena quickly realized this was the truth. "Brains before Brawn."

"her only weakness I can think of... is you, Adrien. if my guess is correct, she needs you around to maintain her ability to fulfill that role. this would also explain the ladybug brooch. there's one ray of light in this situation, it looks like she's against hawkmoth. god forbid if she were to ally with him."

All eyes in the room stared at Adrien.

"Take Plagg with you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor, poor Marinette. I think she could use a hug.


	3. As deep as it gets

That really wasn't the direction Adrien Agreste thought this was going. Sure, he wanted to help his classmate. He didn't want to find himself at the epicenter of a superhero quarrel. As much as he wanted to call it a day, he now had a Kwami with him, he couldn't go to bed just like that. he had many pressing questions.

"Plagg... why do you think Master Fu gave you to me?"

"I can think of 3 reasons. First, it's because we're compatible and you'd make a fine Chat Noir. Second, he wants me to get close to Tikki so I can have further information on her situation. he's dead worried about Tikki, she's the most important of Kwamis right now. which brings us to the third point, which is the special status of the cat and ladybug Kwamis."

"Special status?"

"Yes. together we complement each other, the powers of creation and the powers of destruction. when the two are combined, usually by wielding them together, one can request any wish and it will be granted - but at a severe price."

"Severe price? please go on"

"The universe requires balance. if you unbalance the universe, it will balance itself back. for someone to wish something, the universe will balance back by someone losing the very thing they wished for."

"Plagg, How am I going to handle all of this mess? I'm not sure I'm cut for this job. all locked up here, too. and then there's Marinette."

The images of a jovial and carefree Marinette haunted him. the stark difference between the one he met and the one he thought could be was distressing him. yes, he was going to challenge that Ladybug about it.

but how?

The morning after he couldn't concentrate at school at all. whenever he saw Marinette, he would divert his eyes because he found it painful to watch. and yet he felt it's important that he pour his heart out. He sits next to her during recess.

Marinette looks at him, blank as ever. the same sad fixture. oh, what he'd give to make her smile again.

"Hey... umm... listen." He stutters, not really sure how to approach this subject. "I... I know how you've been before. I'm not sure I can reach you, but I'm going to try. and maybe you don't understand any of this right now but in time you will. We'll get you back. I promise. the REAL you."

"What do you know about the real me?" Marinette asks him.

Adrien is taken aback by the sudden flow of words. Could it be that he reached her?

What did he know, anyway? indeed, not much. He had only met her two days ago!

"I know you were a jovial and happy person."

"I see."

"Don't you remember?"

Marinette seems to take pains in answering that one. As if again she's fighting the same thing that caught her up at Andre's.

"Calm down... it's ok... you should be able to remember. it was just a few days ago!"

That was apparently the wrong thing to say.

Marinette runs away again, this time Adrien lets her be.

"Marinette... I promise." he whispers as he watches her go.

—

Later, at Master fu's house, the team was setting up their next move.

"Tonight, we go on the offensive." Adrien said. Everyone looked at him with disbelief.

"Are you... sure about that?" Carapace asked him.

"Don't worry. brains before brawn. We can do this." He smiled.

"So, we have the power of illusion with us and Carapace's shielding. we should use that to draw ladybug into the position we want her. Her power, her violence, is her weakness. she will strike down your illusions, you need to immediately create new ones as if she's fighting an enemy that respawns. she will try to attack the respawn points too, but you can then morph it to something else."

"It seems like you put a lot of thought into your plan, Adrien" Rena Rouge remarks.

"Yes. It... bothered me a lot." Adrien didn't share just how much it did.

"And there's another aspect. Ladybug said she needs me to fight. I want to see what happens if you replace me with an illusion. I will also try to shake her confidence. I have no idea what I mean to her, what I am to her, but I will find out and use that to strike her."

—

Rena rouge and Carapace took their spots and Rena summoned the first illusion - a gigantic, blue-purple vicious bear-like creature with glaring eyes and fangs.

In a few moments, Paris was sealed again and Ladybug landed next to Adrien, as expected.

"Plagg is with you." Ladybug looks at Adrien. she must have sensed the presence of the Kwami. Again that monotone voice of hers.

Plagg flies towards Tikki, but as soon as he draws nearby, he stops and starts shaking and stuttering.

"Your... Your... seal. it-it-it's gone!"

Tikki nods at him. "Correct."

"Oh no!"

"Plagg, what does this mean?"

"You... You... You... how could you!" Plagg tries as hard as he can to punch through Ladybug's armor, but it's all in vain.

Ladybug pays little heed to the Kwami. he eventually withdraws towards Adrien.

"In order not to shoulder the weight of 10000 years of life, some of our memories are sealed inside us - in particular the more painful ones. Tikki's seal is gone, which means she's now cursed with bearing all this weight."

"So that's why she's so sad?"

"Sad would be an understatement. Oh Tikki..."

Plagg pauses.

"Kid. go get her. I'm crossing my fingers for your plan today. we can do it. we must. no ifs. no buts. no regrets. no remorse."

Meanwhile, Ladybug looked at the creature as it progressed towards her.

"That's one of Rena's illusions. It's not a real enemy. I believe we're done here." Ladybug turns to Adrien.

"Wait!"

Adrien clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. How could she foil their plan so easily? it was all up to him now.

"Before you go, I need to show you something."

Ladybug looks at him. "No."

"It's not a request." His assertiveness appears to shake her a bit, and she stops. Adrien sticks his cellphone in front of her.

"You see her? That girl's Marinette. a real cutie, isn't she? and look at her now!"

He switches the picture in his phone.

There's a long pause. Ladybug says nothing at first.

"I'm sorry. it's my fault." Ladybug finally says. "But nothing can help her now."

No. Adrien's not going to let that kind of an answer slide.

"Like hell! You stole the ladybug miraculous. you broke Tikki's seal. you stole Marinette's happiness. but now it's all over for you. you need me to fight? let's see what happens when I fight YOU. I'll defeat you and bring the ladybug earrings to her, their rightful owner!"

Ladybug looks at him, shocked. "No..." she whispers softly. "How?" she falls on the ground and breaks into uncontrollable sobbing.

"Now's your opening!" Plagg says "Grab her earrings!"

Adrien gulps and draws near Ladybug, reaching out for her earrings. Just as his hand nears one, it's zapped by a forcefield.

"Augh!" Plagg cries. "Forget it! You have to transform and cataclysm that... that thing!"

Adrien grabs Ladybug firmly by his right hand.

"My fate is in your hands..." she mumbles in between sobs, as if repeating something which was once said. but she's looking at HER hands. not at Adrien's. What's going on?

"What are you waiting for? do it, Adrien! it's 'claws out!'"

Claws out! the warning echoes in his head. "Do not let your claws out!"

"Face facts" Tikki interjects with her monotone. Ladybug looks at her for a brief moment. then looks at her hands again. "Those hands could never hold anything..."

"No! Don't do it, Adrien!" Rena rouge cries. she left her designated ambush spot given this development.

"Plagg..." he begins.

"I have no regrets... this is the only path... Adrien..." Ladybug looks at him from below, her eyes all tears.

"Adrien it's a simulacrum! think of Tikki! think of Marinette!" Plagg screams at him.

Images of a joyous Marinette come into his mind. Isn't he committed to her? Is he powerful enough to do what's needed?

"Do not let your claws out!" a call echos in his mind.

"Tikki..." Ladybug begins.

"Face facts" Tikki commands

"It's calling out an attack! ADRIEN! IT WILL KILL YOU!" Plagg cries in despair.

"Plagg... claw..." Adrien begins again.

"Adrien NOO!" Rena rouge cries at the top of her lungs.

"Do not let your claws out!"

"Face facts!"

"CATACLYSM IT NOW!"

"Tikki, spots off!" Ladybug yells the last part, as if someone just punched her guts. Adrien lets her go as a total shock envelopes him at the sight before him.

...

.

.

.

"MARINETTE?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Marinette you poor thing. She could use a hug right now.


	4. A promise kept

Ladybug and Chat Noir were sitting on a Parisian rooftop. Her hand fluttered on Chat's absentmindenly, and she withdrew it with both exchanging a shy smile.

"I like being here and the air is so great today. It's a quiet evening." Ladybug said. "We haven't had much trouble since we defeated the Glaciator."

"Shh... don't jinx it." Chat noir said. "It may be just a patrol, but it's also time together, you know. I think one day we'll cherish such moments."

They both exchanged some shy smiles again.

"I did wonder though. Hawkmoth holds the butterfly miraculous. But who were miraculous holders fighting, when they weren't fighting against each other?"

"I don't know. Tikki or Plagg could answer that. Hawkmoth gives us enough trouble as is... but don't worry, you're the lady of luck, right?"

—

The day after, Marinette woke up with a sense of alarm. as if something really, really bad was going to happen. she turned on the TV.

"Meteorologists have now issued a warning of an unprecedented storm gathering around the area of paris. they are not sure what have caused this occurrence, but have warned the citizens to seek shelter as needed."

Marinette felt a chill run down her spine. she called up her Kwami.

"Tikki, can you feel it too?"

"It's Asmodeus. and you're not the least bit ready."

"What? who is Asmodeus? What is it, Tikki?"

"Asmodeus is an abomination. an imbalance of the universe. it is not supposed to materialize in the real world and when it does, it's a catastrophe. history attributes the unnatural to natural disasters, but you should know by now it's not."

"So how do we fight it?"

Before the Kwami could answer, a weird screeching sound was heard all around them. One that signified magic. Marinette rushed to her balcony and saw a visible circle of runes start to engulf all of Paris. as soon as the circle was complete, the whole area reddened in crimson haze, and everybody and everything except Marinette and Tikki froze in time.

"What the hell is happening?" Marinette yelled.

"It's... a seal. I don't know why I know this and I'm really... afraid". It was the first time Marinette heard her Kwami using this word. hell, it was the first time she heard her being concerned at all.

"We are not ready. but we have to fight. that's all I know."

Marinette transformed into Ladybug. "What are we fighting, exactly? there's no one here."

And that was the moment she wished indeed no one was there, because, in an instant, Paris looked like it went through a typhoon and an earthquake at the same time. buildings cracked and went up the air. the sky was full of concrete fragments, smashed cars, lamp posts flying up in the air. The weather turned into a lightning storm. The strangest thing appeared before her: it looked like it's a gigantic brain, surrounded by a semi-translucent gooey cloud sporting thousands of tendrils.

Ladybug couldn't be more thankful for Chat Noir appearing by her side. "What IS this thing?"

"Asmodeus. An abomination. Don't ask me how I know or even what that means. we have to beat that thing!"

"Well, do we have a plan, of any sorts?"

They looked at each other in despair.

"Lucky Charm!"

Ladybug threw her yoyo up in the air, waiting for the object to return, cupping her hands to grab at...

Nothing.

Nothing.

Nothing! How could lucky charm show her with nothing?!

No plan A. No plan B. No plan Z. Nothing but... a flaming building hurling their way.

"I'm going to cataclysm that thing, even if that's the last thing I ever do!"

—

Ladybug opened her eyes. Asmodeus was nowhere to be seen, but next to her was someone that needed immediate attention.

"Chat Noir... Chat Noir! please, say something!"

"I beat it, didn't I?"

"Please... stick with me! Chat noir!"

Chat Noir managed to smile at her with whatever powers he had remaining, and then closed his eyes.

"No! don't die on me! No!"

Ladybug sobs hysterically, burying her head on Chat Noir's body as it starts to lose its warmth.

Suddenly she realizes it's no longer Chat Noir's soft armor that she's clinging to, but his civilian clothes. His transformation dropped.

"I can't look..." but she had no choice. she took a deep breath. The black outfit unraveled to reveal one that Ladybug is oh-so-familiar with.

"Oh no. Oh no. please don't. please don't let it be true! no! no!"

Her heart shattered into a thousand pieces.

His Kwami flew by her.

"Plagg... I..."

"Ladybug... it doesn't have to end like this..."

Ladybug looked at him. "What... do you mean by that?" she manages to blurt out in-between all the tears.

"You can save him. use your ultimate ability. Just say 'miraculous ultimate restore'"

"Really? can I undo all this destruction?"

"I have no idea what exactly it's going to do," he starts explaining, but Marinette is unable to control her emotions anymore. she doesn't want to be there for another second. no.

"Miraculous ultimate restore!"

—

Marinette wakes up, it's morning. Heart racing, there's only one thought in her mind - "is he still alive?"

Stopping at nothing on the way to school, she sees Alya and...

"ADRIEN! YOU'RE ALIVE!"

Marinette jumps at his arms hugging him tightly and trying to kiss him, which he sorts of evades at the last moment.

Alya's jaw drops to the floor. "Girl... what just...". Chloe would have tried to stop her, but she too was taken in by the utter surprise of the unexpected behaviour from Marinette.

"Well, Shouldn't I be?" Adrien flushes slightly from the unexpected outburst of affection.

Marinette looks at him. "I'm not losing you again chaton, minou."

Adrien lets her go, dropping her on the ground while he and Alya and Chloe are visibly flushing and gasping for air.

"You're... what... I... but..." his eyes widen as he slowly tries to digest... "... Ladybug?" Adrien stutters for words. He immediately pulls her into hiding, transforms and leap towards a more secluded parisian rooftop.

—

"Ok. This is all happening way too fast. I... I don't even know where to start! Ladybug... uhh Marinette... I mean Ladybug..."

"Hey, stuttering is supposed to be my thing, Chaton." Marinette couldn't help that one. But it did very little to ease the situation.

"The problem of having revealed our identities will have to wait, because in 12 hours, you'd be dead and Paris would be laid to waste. nothing else is important anymore. apparently this is how my ultimate power works"

"Wait, Marinette. there's one thing we can spare a moment for." he stopped her, then kissed her. "I promise I won't die this time. I have 9 lives!" Chat Noir grins.

"Don't disappoint me, Chat Noir. I won't be able to stand losing you again. both of you." she smiles back and gives him a warm hug.

—

Ladybug darted between the flying buildings, using her yoyo as a shield, while chat noir was circling Asmodeus. as she signaled, he leaped forwards.

"Ultimate Cataclysm!" he shouted, and he touched his hand to Asmodeus. There was a huge explosion, and Ladybug lost her consciousness.

she woke up amidst the rubble. Asmodeus was gone.

"Did we... Did we win? Chat Noir? Are you ok?"

There was no answer.

"Chat Noir!" she called out.

Ladybug leaped to a higher position to scout the area. That was when she saw Plagg coming at her from below.

She looked at him with a hopeful look. "Please... Plagg... please tell me he's alive..."

Plagg shook his head. "I'm so sorry."

"No. it's not the end yet." she says with a determined look.

"Wait. how do you..." Plagg's eyes widen as he realizes why she already knows. "Marinette, don't tell me..."

"Miraculous ultimate restore!"

—

She was careless. She didn't know how, but she was careless. Marinette woke up that morning with the sole thought of preparing for the fight against Asmodeus, that she couldn't notice that someone else managed to tail her.

As they leaped to their rendezvous spot, Hawkmoth and a contingent of akumatized people were already there.

It all went very fast. hawkmoth countered her yoyo with a specially-crafted spell, and caught her up almost immediately. a few blows to chat noir and he was out, too.

"You... you bastard!" Ladybug screamed.

"Oh, you mustn't worry." Hawkmoth said. "All I want is your miraculouses. Though, for all the grief you cost me, I'm going to take your life as well."

"No! Stop!" she cries in despair, but there's nothing that she can do. she watches in horror as Hawkmoth focuses his energy as the zap takes a direct hit Chat Noir's ring.

.

.

Explosion.

.

.

Plagg is forcibly knocked out and Chat Noir's now lifeless body rolls besides him.

"In but a few moments... my family shall finally, finally be together!"

Ladybug closes her eyes. So this is final defeat.

Hawkmoth laughs manically and focuses his energy again, when he notices Chat Noir's losing its transformation, to reveal a blond hair, green eyes and...

"No..." he gasps. "No! Noooo!"

.

.

Explosion.

.

.

Ladybug slowly opens her eyes. Why am I alive?

Hawkmoth directed the energy blast at his collar pin. Nooroo is knocked out of it. Gabriel Agreste falls down on his knees, then falls flat forward as his lifeless body fails to hold upright. Ladybug's yoyo drops to the ground, now free of the manipulation magic.

"Adrien... Gabriel... What? No... why? why?"

Nooroo and Plagg gather near her. Ladybug surveys the carnage around her. nope, not going to stay here for any unnecessary second.

"Miraculous ultimate restore!"

—

"Chat Noir." her voice sounded very different to what Chat Noir was used to. Something was on her mind.

"Milady... are you... ok?"

"No." she said softly. "I'm not. we have a battle upcoming and I don't think we can win this one."

"Don't worry, I have nine-"

"Screw your nine lives, Chat Noir!" she burst at him. "It's no time for jokes or puns."

That wasn't something his Ladybug was supposed to say.

"Is there... something you're not telling me?"

Ladybug gulps.

"I..."

It was at that moment, that an attack hit them both. Hawkmoth. Again. Chat Noir reeled from the blow and Ladybug was caught in the same spell.

"Allow me to thank you for all you've done saving Paris, by taking your miraculous. Unfortunately, you'll still have to learn a lesson the hard way."

Hawkmoth started to focus his energy into a killing zap, as a sound of a battle cry interrupted him, but he was too late.

"Like hell you are! Cataclysm!" Chat Noir roared, as he leaped and touched his entire right hand to Hawkmoth.

Nooroo was forcefully ejected out of the brooch, as Cataclysm started to swiftly decay Hawkmoth, who was now in the middle of de-transforming into...

"Dad?" Chat Noir collapses to the ground on his knees. "What? No! Dad! How? Why?! Dad! Noooo!"

The magic bonds holding ladybug crumbled to dust, as she viewed the terrible scene in front of her.

"Ladybug... Marinette..." a broken Chat Noir looked into her eyes from below.

"You can fix this, can't you?"

Ladybug nods, her eyes all watery.

"Please... save me. save my family. save us all from this fate."

"I promise!" she cried. "I will do everything! anything!"

"I trust you. You're my only hope. My fate is now in your hands... the best hands I could ever think of. Goodbye, milady."

...

I need to go further back in time.

"Miraculous ultimate restore!"

—

"Adrien will never fight again. I shall defeat each and every abomination, each and every Akuma - alone. I will find the way. Tikki, are you with me on this?"

"I can help you gain that power... but there will be a severe price to pay."

"What do you mean?" Marinette asked.

"In order not to shoulder the weight of 10000 years of life, some of our memories are sealed inside us - in particular the more painful ones, like losing past chosen ones."

Marinette paused. "What are you getting at?"

"If we were to break the seal, we could tap into past memories... powers of past and present."

"No... Tikki... I could never do this to you..."

"It's not a request, Marinette."

"But how can we do that?"

"We both have to concentrate, set our hearts on it and it will be done."

Marinette sat on the ground and Tikki hovered in front of her.

"But first, I need to say goodbye."

"What?"

"I won't be the same Tikki anymore. I want this Tikki to say goodbye first."

Tikki nuzzled Marinette's cheek one last time, took a deep breath, and they both started concentrating.

After a minute, Tikki was screaming with pain and agony. her eyes dulled up into voids, and then returned to their normal form.

"No... what have we done... Tikki..."

Tikki turns to Marinette. She's unscathed physically, but she's very much changed. Sad eyes and barely an expression.

"It had to be done" she says in a monotone, more like a robot. She's in a constant state of fighting off her emotions now, Marinette realized. she is shutting herself down. Tikki just made the ultimate sacrifice a Kwami could ever do, for her. without noticing, her cheeks were wet.

She sees Tikki moving about, as if miming a non-existant object. To her surprise, the mime materializes into...

"The spellbook?"

"Yes. It can be summoned given the correct technique."

"But I can't decipher it..."

"You don't need to. find us a secluded location."

Marinette transformed and jumped into an abandoned building, then detransformed.

"Now what?"

"Meditate. Think of tapping the book's power. I will channel it" Tikki commanded.

So that's its secret! reading is just surface-scratching!

After an hour of intentful meditation, Tikki started channeling spells into her. Dozens and dozens of new capabilities. But are they enough to beat Asmodeus? Finally, there was some hope of that.

"Practice." Tikki requested.

Yes, that's also needed. No more 'spots on' and 'lucky charm'. combat mnemonics. Joss. precognition. Kwami detachment. Deflection shields. A machine of war.

—

"I will repeat it. I will re-live it as many times as needed. I will keep my promise to Adrien. My love, my Chat Noir, my one and only ever."

...

Adrien and Plagg looked at the fight scene.

"What are you waiting for? she will die! every Ladybug needs her Chat Noir, your time is now!"

Adrien looked at the horrible battle taking place in front of them. Ladybug was already beaten up pretty badly.

"Plagg, claws out!"

...

Ladybug, Tikki and Plagg examined Adrien's dead body.

"What are you going to do now, Ladybug?" Plagg asked.

"My battle is not over, Plagg." she said in a soft voice.

"Ladybug! are you..."

"Miraculous ultimate restore!"

...

"and again, and again, and again and again and again."

Marinette wakes up.

"Tikki, RSA-1" she issues the command, and her suit materializes.

"Tikki, Seal" she orders as she picks up a can of red spray paint and some cards, on which she dutifully writes "Don't ever let your claws out". Under the cover of the seal, she sneaks the notes into Adrien's bedroom while Tikki sneaks them into the car. She later draws the graffiti.

She takes her seat quietly behind Adrien's seat. All emotions must be shut down. I can't love him anymore. I can't dream of him anymore. Otherwise, I won't be able to protect him. I don't want to see him die anymore. I Can't!

I now share Tikki's fate, the realization hit her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, she could use a hug right now.


	5. The one I could rely on

"MARINETTE?"

Adrien had a million and one questions racing in his mind and zero ability to settle them into anything coherent.

She pauses to look at herself. A bit more composed after she cast away the transformation.

"I'm... not worthy of that name anymore." She stands up, but lowers her head. "Whatever made me human, is now a distant memory."

Adrien looks at her, doing his best to follow, even though it's clear he doesn't understand and can't understand it.

"A fruit smoothie... Ice cream at Andre's... three kids and a hamster... Just a normal girl with a normal life... it all drifts further and further the more I go. and so do we."

"How can I tell you what I want to feel right now? I will never again be able to. All that remains is a promise that I have to keep. that is my inescapable fate. I have to... I got to..."

she can't bring herself to end that sentence before she nearly breaks down again, but she regains her composure.

"please. just let me protect you from Asmodeus."

Adrien was at a loss for words. He didn't understand this. she knew he didn't.

"Marinette... I need a moment to digest everything that happened."

With that, he gave her a warm hug and left.

"I will be back. I promise."

—

"Plagg..."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pressed it." Plagg drooped his head.

"Don't be. you couldn't have known. you thought about me and Tikki and Marinette. it's just your bad luck. I need you to help me understand what exactly is happening. I couldn't follow her."

"You really are dense, aren't you?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Marinette uses the ladybug powers to reshape reality. she lives it over and over again, having discarded everything else for that one thing that matters. each time becoming harder than the previous one."

"And that's..."

"Yes, that's you."

"So... when I took her to that day at the zoo... when I blamed her for Marinette's... her own! condition..."

"You took a pot shot straight at her heart where no one else could. Ironically, it's exactly what you said you'd do."

Adrien looked at the ground. "I was... horrible. the most horrible partner possible."

"It's not like you could have known it, though." Now it was Plagg's turn to try and console his partner.

Adrien suddenly realized his cheeks were wet with tears.

"So... what is Asmodeus?"

"It's an abomination. an imbalance of the universe, seeking nothing but destruction. people usually call it an unexpected natural disaster, for not knowing better. that much I remember, and that's it."

"And she wants to protect me from it. and now I must protect her. but how?"

"Wish I knew."

"What did you just say?" Adrien gasped.

"Huh?" Plagg responded.

"Wish. I. Knew. it means I don't know. What's wrong with you?"

Adrien smiles.

"Ok, kid must have lost it..."

—

"I'm sorry, Marinette. I understand what you fought for, all this time, and I wasn't there beside you. I hurt you like no one else could. But I am finally here now. This time you won't need to protect me."

"No! you'll just die again!"

Adrien draws Marinette near, looking into her eyes.

"Have faith in your Kitty, one last time."

Marinette looks at him and nods gently.

"All I'm asking is that you transform on my mark. 3. 2. 1. GO!"

"Tikki, spots on!"

"Plagg, claws out!"

a moment before their transformation starts, Adrien grabs Marinette and kisses her. They do not transform at all - they seem to lose their form into a flash of energy, and they are gone.

Marinette finds herself in a white, cloud-like environment. Tikki is around, and so are Adrien and Plagg. She immediately notices something about Tikki: she's happy, A Tikki that Marinette by now only had vague memories of. She takes a moment to examine herself and finds that she no longer feels any pain or sadness. A feeling of relief, one that she hasn't had for over a year, embraces her.

Out of instinct, she checks up on her earrings, but there's nothing there.

"Milady, they're needed at the moment. and so is my ring." Adrien says. and boy is he beaming with joy.

With that he turns to her and places his hands over her shoulders.

"Marinette... I am going to dry each and every tear you had to shed over this. over me."

Marinette looks back at him and whispers "I would do it all just the same for you, Adrien." and leans her head at his body. They cry again, but this time it's tears of joy and bliss.

"Your love prevailed over fate." Tikki says. "You are now in dreamspace, until your joint wish takes place". She gently nuzzles against Marinette's cheek. "I couldn't hope for a more determined and brave chosen."

"But wouldn't someone have to pay the price for this wish?"

"Abominations are an imbalance of the universe themselves. They are basically one of the few things these wishes are meant to defeat." Tikki replies. "I think Adrien figured this one out." He nods.

"Smart kitty!" Marinette passes her hand softly at his cheek.

"Have faith in your Chat Noir"

"trust your Ladybug״

"I'm glad I did."

They smile at each other.

"So, about that bucket list..." Adrien says.

"What bucket list?"

"What was that... fruit smoothie, ice cream at Andre's, a hamster and three kids, right?"

Marinette turns beet-red.

"I... uh... um..."

"Marinette... Milady... you're the lady of my dreams... fulfilling yours would make me the happiest." Adrien beamed.

"None of you will remember this in but a few moments, though". Plagg said.

"it's ok Plagg. we know." they both said, almost in unison.

Suddenly a vision appears amongst the cloud, and both turn to look at it.

It's ladybug and chat noir, sitting on a Parisian rooftop.

Marinette lets out a giggle. "So, what about these two star-crossed lovers?"

Adrien giggles himself. "They'll figure it out, one day."

"It is time." Plagg said. "A new reality is about to kick in."

Marinette lifts her head and looks at Adrien deep in his eyes and they kiss, as they lose their form into a flash of energy and are gone.

—

"It's a quiet evening." Ladybug said. "We haven't had much trouble lately since we defeated the Glaciator."

"Shh... don't jinx it." Chat noir said.

"Don't worry Kitty. They say I'm the lady of luck. I'm sure there's a star out there looking after us." she says as she looks up to the night sky.

Two stars blink, as if in agreement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't gainax this, I just had to give her a happy ending, because Marinette. Total fail at playing Gen Urobochi.

**Author's Note:**

> ok, some more proper author notes.
> 
> There are strong references to 3 different anime series - one which inspired the fic and two serve as a background and some red herring. see if you can spot them!
> 
> I really wanted to write Marinette as a kuudere after reading a fic writing her as a tsundere. This one though required a significant break-the-cutie procedure.
> 
> I also had thoughts on the meanest reveal scene possible, so I tried to go with it.
> 
> The original is even more dark than this.


End file.
